Spring prospectus: Looking to replace last year’s starting quarterback Austin Howard and running back Jeremy Jackson, Coach Robert Valdez is putting stock into a pair of running backs in Bradley Borne and Lamore Bouboin. As Jackson’s backup last season, Borne racked up more than 900 yards. Bouboin is expected to be in a timeshare with Borne in the Rams’ backfield. On the defensive end, Valdez wants to see more consistent tackling out of the unit, which has been the emphasis so far this spring. “We have to develop some consistency, to be able to work defensively at getting more fundamentally sound with our base-scheme tackling.”

Spring prospectus: After improving the Eagles’ win total by two and leading them to the playoffs in his first season, Coach Oliver Crockett now must find a way to carry the momentum from the end of last season into 2014. After an 0-5 start in the non-district schedule, St. John went 3-2 in 8-1A play, including a victory over White Castle Crockett called “one of our biggest wins in recent years.” The team lost its starting quarterback Hunter Schnebelen, as well as running back Ben Poirrier and defensive end John Morgan Romig. Though the losses sting, the team does return a strong nucleus of running back Gavin Primeaux, tight end Collin Crockett and most of the offensive line, including rising junior Dylan Tempanaro, who Crockett identified as an impact player. Spring practices begin May 12, and from there the top priority is finding a new starter under center. “The No. 1 goal this spring is finding a quarterback. We have a good bit coming back, but (Schnebelen) was a big part of our offense.”

Spring Prospectus: Yet again Josh Puryear will be charged with making another young squad competitive. In his first season at the helm of the Lions, Puryear turned a winless team into a 2-9 team, and he expects the team to take another step forward in 2014. The team lost six seniors, but returns a number of young players that were forced into starting roles at eighth- and ninth-graders. Last year, Puryear admitted the Lions got off to a rocky start, as young players were forced into roles they weren't ready for. But by the end of the season, he saw them all make tremendous strides forward. Two players Puryear is especially keen on is Jeff Ragusa, who will play on bot lines and possibly at fullback, and Larson Fontenot, who's projected to be the starting running back. Though Ascension Christian advanced to the postseason last year, Puryear believes this season will be more critical toward becoming true contenders in 2015. "Two years ago we didn't win a game, and last year getting two wins was huge for us. It was a huge momentum-builder for the program, and we want to take that momentum this into this season. We had so many guys learn their roles by the end of the season, and we feel we have a lot of energy moving forward. We see next year as a bright one for the program."

Spring prospectus: Coach Doug Moreau’s Bulldogs was a playoff team in 2013, but it’ll have to reload talent at key positions in order to make another run in 8-1A. Gone from last year’s squad is two-year starting quarterback D.J. Latino and both starting wingbacks, Kenneth Domonick and Gilbert Allen, who were key contributors on the defensive side of the ball as well. The attention now shifts onto a new pair of backs, Jacquel Wade and Patrick Butler, who will be charged with filling those shoes, while All-State nose guard Delmond Landry and Jacob Caballero will return to anchor the defensive line. To fill holes along the offensive line, linebacking corps and secondary, Moreau is looking to find diamonds in the rough. Eighteen first-time players will attempt to crack the varsity roster, and Moreau expects those newcomers to play major roles come the fall. “We’ve got a good nucleus returning and a lot of players coming out for the first time. We want to make sure those players have a chance to learn and contribute, and like everything spring we start out like nobody knows anything. We’ll work on fundamentals and identify which players are ready to play varsity ball.”

Spring prospectus: White Castle must cope with the loss of 16 seniors, many of which played along the offensive and defensive lines. Especially painful is the departure of two-year starter Andre Prevot, and according to third-year Coach Edd Thomas, the young players must possess a "next man up" mindset. While the Bulldogs will be young in the trenches, they return a number of veteran skill players, including quarterbacks Jacory Jones and Chris Major, and leading rusher first-team all-district back Dontrell Taylor. Thomas's biggest job as coach this spring is preach patience to his vets, as he hopes the young linemen will learn quickly in order for the team to return to contention. "The biggest thing is for those returning skill players to be patient, to be able to lead and be willing to be good teammates. They have to stay positive. As a coach, the biggest thing is teaching them by displaying patience. They have to understand the young players aren't there just yet, but they have to be patient and slow the game down for them."